Banana bunch bursting out (emerging out) sideways through pseudostem:

A peculiar phenomenon of Banana bunch bursting out
(emerging out) sideways through pseudostem:

There are many theories explaining the reason for the ‘Banana bunch bursting out (emerging) sideways through pseudostem’ instead of emerging normally through the top of it. Some of them are discussed here :

Banana Bunch side emergence

• Theory 1:  

During low winter temperature there is reduction in the length of leaf inter-node as well as reduced elongation of bunch stem. 

This physiological feature causes a constriction at the throat of the plant for the bunch to emerge through the throat. Subsequently the bunch bursts out through the pseudostem.

Sometimes, the top hands got trapped in the throat of the pseudostem giving it a 'Choked throat' appearance. (Distal part of bunch comes out and the basal part gets stuck up at the throat)

Banana Bunch bursts out of pseudostem

• Theory 2:   Water stress.

• Theory 3:    Virus infection.

• Theory 4: If the Pseudostem weevil attacks the plant during the advanced pre-flowering stage, the ascending flower bud and peduncles are destroyed resulting in non emergence of the flower bud resulting in choked throat appearance and subsequent emergence of bunch sideways by breaking of Pseudostem. 

• Theory 5:   Though there are some proponents that this phenomenon is due to Macro or Micronutrient deficiency, it was never proved. 

Note: 

1.  The emerged bunch will be smaller in size with few hands and immature fingers.

2.  Even in extreme cases this phenomenon is observed in only 0.25 to 0.5% of the total plants in the affected field.

Regards,

A.Vishnu Sankar

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